homily for the presentation of the blessed virgin mary

• Saint of the Day

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

• November 21
• Franciscan Media

Image:   Presentation of Mary in the Temple  | Alfonso Boschi | photo by sailko

Saint of the day for november 21.

The Story of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mary’s presentation was celebrated in Jerusalem in the sixth century. A church was built there in honor of this mystery. The Eastern Church was more interested in the feast, but it does appear in the West in the 11th century. Although the feast at times disappeared from the calendar, in the 16th century it became a feast of the universal Church.

As with Mary’s birth, we read of Mary’s presentation in the temple only in apocryphal literature. In what is recognized as an unhistorical account, the  Protoevangelium of James  tells us that Anna and Joachim offered Mary to God in the Temple when she was 3 years old. This was to carry out a promise made to God when Anna was still childless.

Though it cannot be proven historically, Mary’s presentation has an important theological purpose. It continues the impact of the feasts of the Immaculate Conception and of the birth of Mary. It emphasizes that the holiness conferred on Mary from the beginning of her life on earth continued through her early childhood and beyond.

It is sometimes difficult for modern Westerners to appreciate a feast like this. The Eastern Church, however, was quite open to this feast and even somewhat insistent about celebrating it. Even though the feast has no basis in history, it stresses an important truth about Mary: From the beginning of her life, she was dedicated to God. She herself became a greater temple than any made by hands. God came to dwell in her in a marvelous manner and sanctified her for her unique role in God’s saving work. At the same time, the magnificence of Mary enriches her children. They—we—too are temples of God and sanctified in order that we might enjoy and share in God’s saving work.

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HOMILY FOR NOVEMBER 21, FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. (1)

HOMILY FOR NOVEMBER 21, FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.

THEME: My mother and my brothers are anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven.

BY: Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA

*READINGS OF THE DAY* Zechariah 2:14-17 Resp Psalm Luke 1:46-55 Matthew 12:46-50

*LITURGICAL COLOUR* WHITE

*INTRODUCTION* Today we commemorate the presentation of the child Mary in the temple at Jerusalem. This feast celebrates the consecration of Mary’s life to the Lord. From the beginning of her life, she was dedicated to God by her parents, given over to God’s purposes for her life.

*ABOUT THE FEAST OF TODAY* According to the gospels of Matthew and Luke, in her teenage years, Mary was called by God to become a greater temple than the magnificent temple in Jerusalem in which she was presented as a child. The temple in Jerusalem was the house of God, the place where God was believed to be present in a special way. God wanted Mary to become the house of the Lord in an even greater way, because she was to carry the Lord in her womb, until she gave birth to him. God came to dwell in her, through Jesus, God’s Son. Because she was open to God’s presence from the earliest years of her life, she said ‘yes’ to this wonderful calling. She gave herself over to God’s will for her life. She is the prime example of the group that Jesus refers to in this morning’s gospel reading as those ‘who do the will of my Father in heaven’.

RELATED: HOMILY FOR FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD.

*CONCLUSION* Today’s feast celebrates the fact that from her childhood Mary had always done the will of God, and was therefore ready to become the temple of God’s Son at the time of God’s choosing. In this morning’s gospel reading Jesus declares that this true family are those who do the will of his Father in heaven. We look to Mary to show us what it means to say ‘yes’ to God’s call in our lives. Insofar as we can enter into Mary’s ‘yes’, we too will become temples of the Lord, like her. The Lord will be formed in us and we will offer him to the world by our lives, as she did. May our Mother Mary continue to intercede and pray for us sinners who have often betrayed and hurt her Son. May all of us be shown mercy and forgiveness, and may we all draw ever closer to God, to His love and grace, now and always.

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May I take this opportunity to wish you all a happy Feast of the Presentation of Mary. The origin of this Feast is at least 400 years old. It was first commemorated in the Western Liturgical Calendar in 1585. Some of you may wonder why we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of Mary. It is to commemorate the day on which the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saints Anne and Joachim, presented Mary at the age of three to the Temple of God. This was done in accordance with the Jewish Custom that parents present their child to God at the Temple before the age of five. In a way, we can say that the Presentation of Mary to the Temple is a picture of the Baptism of infants, when the newborns are presented to God for admission into the Body of Christ. Another parallel that is found in the Jewish tradition versus today is in the education of the children. In the days of the Old Testament, children who remained in the Temple as Mary did, were educated in the ways of God by the priest. Nowadays, those who are baptized as infants, they are educated in the Catholic faith by their parents and godparents who are members of the common priesthood. [1 Pet. 2:5] When I say, "they are educated in the Catholic faith," this is to be understood as a reference to those parents and godparents who fulfill their promises before God and the Church by nurturing the child in the Catholic Faith. Today's First Reading from the Book of Daniel [1 Dan. 1:1-6. 8-20] is biblically known as "The Food Test." It is a reference to the time in the Jewish history when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invaded Jerusalem and took the Jewish people into exile. As we heard earlier, some men, namely Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah from the tribe of Judah, were chosen to be taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans while residing in the palace of king Nebuchadnezzar. During this residence, they were assigned a daily portion of the royal rations of food and wine. This food consisted of a pork, a meat that was considered unclean by the Jewish people. For that reason, they were forbidden to eat any of it. When we consider how the chain of events occurred, Daniel and his friends did not having to eat any of the pork, the First Reading implies that God did not allow the young men of the Babylonian Exile to suffer harm when they refused to partake of the pagans' food and drink. It also implies that in time of hardship, during exile and persecution, those who refused to violate the Mosaic Law by not eating pork, heavenly aid would be sent to them in one form or another. In this case, the palace master had been hand chosen by God to care for Daniel and his friends. Because of the palace master's flexibility on the matter of what should be eaten and drank, the Jewish men were able to remain faithful to the Mosaic Law. What they wished in their hearts was fulfilled by the grace of God. To adapt this reading to today and our life in the Church, it can be said that those that those who wish to remain faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church, the Lord God shall provide them with the means to do so. Even in time of obstacles, the grace of God is always at work. To perceive this grace, we must pray for guidance of the Holy Spirit and take the time to listen so we can hear in our heart what the Spirit of Jesus is telling us, which way He is guiding us in life on a day to day basis. During the remaining of the day, let us reflect on how the grace of God is manifesting itself through us because of our faithfulness to the teachings of the Catholic Church. Do we back off as soon as an obstacle presents itself? Or do we remain faithful, trusting in the Lord Jesus to provide all of our needs? * * * * * * * * * * The readings... [The readings were taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (C) 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the United States of America.] * * * * * * * * * * First Reading... "Eleazar, one of the scribes in high position, a man now advanced in age and of noble presence, was being forced to open his mouth to eat swine�s flesh. But he, welcoming death with honor rather than life with pollution, went up to the rack of his own accord, spitting out the flesh, as all ought to go who have the courage to refuse things that it is not right to taste, even for the natural love of life. Those who were in charge of that unlawful sacrifice took the man aside because of their long acquaintance with him, and privately urged him to bring meat of his own providing, proper for him to use, and to pretend that he was eating the flesh of the sacrificial meal that had been commanded by the king, so that by doing this he might be saved from death, and be treated kindly on account of his old friendship with them. But making a high resolve, worthy of his years and the dignity of his old age and the gray hairs that he had reached with distinction and his excellent life even from childhood, and moreover according to the holy God-given law, he declared himself quickly, telling them to send him to Hades. �Such pretense is not worthy of our time of life,� he said, �for many of the young might suppose that Eleazar in his ninetieth year had gone over to an alien religion, and through my pretense, for the sake of living a brief moment longer, they would be led astray because of me, while I defile and disgrace my old age. Even if for the present I would avoid the punishment of mortals, yet whether I live or die I will not escape the hands of the Almighty. Therefore, by bravely giving up my life now, I will show myself worthy of my old age 28 and leave to the young a noble example of how to die a good death willingly and nobly for the revered and holy laws.� When he had said this, he went at once to the rack. Those who a little before had acted toward him with goodwill now changed to ill will, because the words he had uttered were in their opinion sheer madness. When he was about to die under the blows, he groaned aloud and said: �It is clear to the Lord in his holy knowledge that, though I might have been saved from death, I am enduring terrible sufferings in my body under this beating, but in my soul I am glad to suffer these things because I fear him.� So in this way he died, leaving in his death an example of nobility and a memorial of courage, not only to the young but to the great body of his nation." [2 Macc. 6:18-31] * * * * * * * * * * Gospel Reading... "Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, �Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.� So he hurried down and was happy to welcome Jesus. All who saw it began to grumble and said, �He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.� Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, �Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.� Then Jesus said of him, �Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.� [Lk. 19:1-10] * * * * * * * * * *

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The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

THE PRESENTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Feast: November 21

Religious parents never fail by devout prayer to consecrate their children to the divine service and love, both before and after their birth. Some amongst the Jews, not content with this general consecration of their children, offered them to God in their infancy, by the hands of the priests in the temple, to be lodged in apartments belonging to the temple, and brought up in attending the priests and Levites in the sacred ministry. It is an ancient tradition, that the Blessed Virgin Mary was thus solemnly offered to God in the temple in her infancy.[1] This festival of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin, or, as it is often called by the Greeks, the entrance of the Blessed Virgin into the Temple, is mentioned in the most ancient Greek Menologies extant.

By the consecration which the Blessed Virgin made of herself to God in the first use which she made of her reason, we are admonished of the most important and strict obligation which all persons lie under, of an early dedication of themselves to the divine love and service. It is agreed amongst all masters of Christian morality, that everyone is bound in the first moral instant of the use of reason to convert his heart to God by love; and if divine faith be then duly proposed to him (which is the case of Christian children) by a supernatural assent to it, he is bound then to make an act of faith; also an act of hope in God as a supernatural rewarder and helper, and an act of divine charity. Who can be secure that in the very moment in which he entered into his moral life and was capable of living to God, did not stain his innocence by a capital omission of this duty? How diligent and solicitous are parents bound to be in instructing their children in the first fundamental mysteries of faith, and in the duty of prayer, and in impressing upon their tender minds a sense of spiritual things in a manner in which their age may be capable of receiving it. These first fruits of the heart are a sacrifice of which God is infinitely jealous, an emblem of which were all the sacrifices of first fruits prescribed in the old law, in token that he is our beginning and last end. Such a heart, adorned with the baptismal grace of innocence, has particular charms. Grace recovered by penance is not like that of innocence which has never been defiled; nor is it the same happiness for a soul to return to God from the slavery of sin, as for one to give him her first affections, and to open her understanding and will to his love before the world has found any entrance there. The tender soul of Mary was then adorned with the most precious graces, an object of astonishment and praise to the angels, and of the highest complacence to the adorable Trinity, the Father looking upon her as his beloved daughter, the Son, as one chosen and prepared to become his mother, and the Holy Ghost as his darling spouse.

Her first presentation to God, made by the hands of her parents and by her own devotion, was then an offering most acceptable in his sight. Let our consecration of ourselves to God be made under her patronage, and assisted by her powerful intercession and the union of her merits. If we have reason to fear that we criminally neglected this duty at the first dawning of our reason, or, if we have since been unfaithful to our sacred baptismal engagements, such is the mercy and goodness of our gracious God, that he disdains not our late offerings. But that these may be accepted by him, we must first prepare the present he requires of us, that is, our hearts. They must be washed and cleansed in the sacred laver of Christ's adorable blood, by means of sincere compunction and penance; and all inordinate affections must be pared away by our perfectly renouncing in spirit, honours, riches, and pleasures, and being perfectly disengaged from creatures, and ready to do and suffer all for God, that we may be entirely his, and that neither the world nor pride, nor any irregular passion may have any place in us. What secret affections to this or that creature lurk in our souls, which hinder us from being altogether his, unless they are perfectly cut off or reformed! This Mary did by spending her youth in holy retirement, at a distance from the commerce and corruption of the world, and by the most assiduous application to all the duties and exercises of a religious and interior life. Mary was the first who set up the standard of virginity; and, by consecrating it by a perpetual vow to our Lord, she opened the way to all virgins who have since followed her example. They, in particular, ought to take her for their special patroness, and, as her life was the most perfect model of their state, they ought always to have her example before their eyes, and imitate her in prayer, humility, modesty, silence, and retirement.

Mary lived retired until she was introduced into the world and espoused to St. Joseph. Some think her espousals were at first only a promise or betrothing: but the ends assigned by the fathers, seem rather to show them to have been a marriage. These are summed up by St. Jerome as follows:[2] that by the pedigree of Joseph, the descent of Mary from the tribe of Juda, might be demonstrated; that she might not be stoned by the Jews as an adulteress; that, fleeing into Egypt, she might have the comfort and protection of a spouse. A fourth reason, says St. Jerome, is added by the martyr Ignatius: that the birth of the Son of God might be concealed from the devil. The words of that apostolic father are: "Three mysteries wrought by God in silence were concealed from the prince of this world. the virginity of Mary, the bringing forth of her Son, and the death of the Lord."[3] Not that God could fear any impediment to his designs from the devil; but he was pleased to effect these mysteries in silence and without worldly show and noise, that pride and hell might, by his all-wise and sweet providence, be more meetly triumphed over, whilst the devil himself hastened his own overthrow by concurring to the mystery of the cross. From the marriage of the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph, St. Austin shows[4] that marriage requires no more than the mutual consent of the will between parties who lie under no impediment or inability to an indissoluble individual society of life. In this holy marriage we admire the incomparable chastity of Mary and Joseph; and the sanctity and honour, as well as the patronage and example, which that holy state receives from this mystery. In certain particular churches the espousals of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph are honoured with an office on the 23rd of January.

1 See St. Greg. of Nyssa, Serm. In Nat. Christ., p. 779.

2 In c. 1, Mat. p. 7, ed. Ben

3 St. Ignat. ep. ad Ephes. p. 16.

4 St. Aug. lib. de Nuptits et Concup. c. 11, n. 13, p. 287.

(Taken from Vol. III of "The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal Saints" by the Rev. Alban Butler.)

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The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

When Mary was asked to be the mother of the Savior, she was completely free to accept or reject the offer. Her response, “Let it be done to me,” was a great act of faith. Because she did not understand what was happening, she must have known that there would be difficulties ahead.

She replied yes to the angel's announcement and agreed to become the mother of Jesus, and the Church has declared Mary to be the Mother of God. Because she was the first to say yes to the Messiah, the Church has declared her to be the Mother of the Church.

The feast of the presentation of Mary dates back to the 6th century in the East and the 15th century in the West. It is based on an ancient tradition that says Mary was taken to the temple in Jerusalem when she was 3-years-old and dedicated to God. What we celebrate on this day is the fact that God chose to dwell in Mary in a very special way. In response, Mary placed her whole self at the service of God. Every moment since your Baptism, God invites you to be open to his grace and dedicate yourself to him, as Mary did.

from Saints and Feast Days , by Sisters of Notre Dame of Chardon, Ohio

Image credit: Presentation of Mary by Titian, 1538. Public Domain via Wikimedia.

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple recalls – according to the apocryphal gospels, the day on which Mary, while still a child, was brought to the temple in Jerusalem to be offered to God. The Church wants to emphasize not so much the historical event in itself, of which there is no trace in the Gospels, but the total gift that Mary made of herself, by listening: “ Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and observe it” (Lk. 11:28). This experience prepared the young girl from Nazareth to become the “temple of the Son of God”.

The celebration of this feast dates back to the 6 th century in the East with the dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary the New built by the Emperor Justinian I near the ruins of the temple in Jerusalem. There is evidence that various monasteries in Italy celebrated the feast in the 9 th century. It was not until the 15 th century that it was included in the Roman Missal.

This is also the on which the Church celebrates the World Day of Cloistered Life, established by Pope Pius XII in 1953.

While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother”. (Mt. 12:46-50)

Bonds of love, not of blood

For the Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the liturgy proposes the passage from Matthew that speaks about how we are “related” to Jesus. It is a relationship not formed by blood, but by imitation: “ Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother”. To become a member of “His family”, one must do so not by blood or belonging to a particular religion. Rather, it is a free and personal choice that translates into a commitment to do the will of the Father.

Mary, the first disciple

Confirming what has just been said, Jesus Himself said this in responding thus to a woman who was praising His Mother: “ ‘ Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.’ He replied, ‘Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.’ ” Mary is the woman who knows how to listen, who knows how to contemplate, who knows how to refer everything to her Son – “ Do whatever He tells you” (Jn. 2:5). Mary is the One who never abandoned her Son Jesus, not even along the way of the Cross. She “stood” under the Cross. She is a disciple who never abandons the Lord Jesus, who always “stands behind” Him.

Mary, model for Christians

All of this can help us imitate the Virgin Mary. Every Christian is called to look at Mary so as to learn from her, to entrust themselves to her intercession and to guard the “purity of the faith” against any idols that surround us.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

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The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated every year on November 21, commemorates (in the words of the Liturgy of the Hours, the daily prayer of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church) "that dedication of herself which Mary made to God from her very childhood under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit who filled her with grace at her Immaculate Conception ." Also known as the Dedication of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the feast originated in the East, where it is called the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos Into the Temple.

Quick Facts

• Date: November 21.
• Type of Feast: Memorial.
• Readings: Revelation 4:1-11; Psalm 150:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6; Luke 19:11-28 ( full text here )
• Prayers: The Hail Mary
• Other Names for the Feast: The Dedication of the Blessed Virgin Mary; The Presentation of Mary; The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos Into the Temple

History of the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

While the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary was not generally celebrated in the West until the 11th century, it appears in most of the earliest calendars of the Eastern Churches. Derived from accounts in apocryphal literature, especially the Protoevangelium of James , the feast seems first to have appeared in Syria, where the Protoevangelium and other apocryphal books, such as the Infancy Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew , originated. The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary first rose to prominence, however, in Jerusalem, where it was associated with the dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary the New.

That basilica was built near the ruins of the Temple in Jerusalem, and the Protoevangelium of James and other apocryphal works told the story of Mary's presentation at the Temple at the age of three. In gratitude for being granted a child after years of infertility, Mary's parents, Saints Joachim and Anna , had vowed to dedicate Mary to the service of God at the Temple. When they presented her at the Temple at the age of three, she stayed willingly, showing her dedication to God even at that young age.

The Presentation and the Protoevangelium of James

The Protoevangelium of James, while an extrabiblical document, is the source of many details of Mary's life that became universally accepted by the Church, including the names of her parents, the story of her birth , her age at her betrothal to Saint Joseph, and Saint Joseph's advanced age and his status as a widower with children by his first wife. It also played a large role among Christians, both Eastern and Western, in recognizing Mary as the new Temple, the true Holy of Holies. When Mary left the Temple at the age of 12 after her betrothal to Joseph, she remained pure and chaste, and at the Annunciation , God came to dwell in her.

The Spread of the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary first made its way to the West through monasteries in Southern Italy in the ninth century; by the 11th century, it had spread to other locales but was by no means universally celebrated. Under the influence of a French nobleman, Philippe de Mazières, Pope Gregory XI began celebrating the feast during the Avignon papacy.

Pope Sixtus IV first placed the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the universal calendar in 1472, but in the Tridentine reform of the calendar in 1568, Pope Pius V removed the feast. It was restored 17 years later by Pope Sixtus V and remains in the Roman calendar today as a memorial.

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Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Feast day: Nov 21

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Archbishop Lori’s Homily: Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary; Senior Leadership Retreat Day

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Senior Leadership Retreat Day Shrine of St. Anthony, Ellicott City November 21, 2017

This morning we celebrate a beautiful feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary namely, the Feast of Mary’s Presentation in the Temple. It is an event which illumines our Christian imagination: that wonderful and grace-filled moment when Saints Joachim and Anne presented their daughter, Mary, in the Temple. Let us remind ourselves why Mary’s Presentation is exceptional and what this event in salvation history has to do with us and our ministry.

Joachim and Anne, Mary’s parents, were part of a remnant of God’s People who looked forward with eager anticipation to the coming of the Messiah. Their hope and trust in God’s promises of deliverance were undimmed by the catastrophes that befell the people of Israel – whether it was exile, or the desecration of the Temple, or suppression and conquest by foreign powers. Through it all, the faith of this holy remnant—far from fading— grew ever more vibrant and ever more expectant.

So, while every faithful parent sees the hope and joy of God’s love shining on the faces of their precious children, I would wager that, when Joachim and Anne beheld the pure and beautiful face of their daughter Mary, they experienced a wonder and awe they could neither describe nor explain. What deep thoughts and emotions must have filled their hearts as they entrusted her completely to the Lord, the God of Israel! Could they have sensed deep-down that their daughter was already “full of grace”? Could they have sensed she would play a special role in salvation history?

Like other children, Mary was presented in the Temple when she was about three years old but hers was no ordinary Presentation. To echo the Prophet Zechariah, Mary entered as the Daughter of Zion and her coming to the Temple signaled that the time was at hand for God to ‘stir from his heavenly dwelling’ and to be present to humanity in a new and unimaginable way: the Eternal Son would take upon himself our human nature in Mary’s womb. The Word would become flesh and dwell among us. He would come to preach, heal, suffer, die and rise – for us and for our salvation. And so, in God’s providential design, Mary arrived at the Temple as the blessed and chosen daughter who would herself become a temple, a sinless dwelling place, a tabernacle prepared for the Lord of Hosts.

Joachim and Anne could indeed only wonder what lay in store for their daughter, but we can draw two insights from today’s feast: first is that Mary would find her vocation within the loving home, the domestic church, if you will, that Joachim and Anne prepared for her. And second, is that our faith in Christ helps us understand Mary’s unique vocation; conversely, turn Mary’s unwavering faith and dedication to God’s saving will illuminates our faith in Christ (CCC № 487) . . . a word about each.

While Scripture is silent about the specifics of Mary’s childhood, nonetheless we can infer from many other sources that the home created by Saints Joachim and Anne was a place of faith and love, a place where Mary’s unique vocation would be nourished and come to fruition. It would never have occurred to Joachim & Anne to call their home a domestic church but that, in fact, is what they created – a safe harbor, a place of peace where Mary’s vocation to root in her heart, an environment of prayer and reverence where Mary could hear the Word of God, learn to worship in spirit and truth, and acquire an exquisite charity, a love for others, a charity she would manifest as she reached out to her cousin Elizabeth, as she helped the newly married couple at Cana, and as she stood beneath the Cross with the beloved disciple John.

Pope Benedict taught us that the Church has three interconnected dimensions: she cherishes and proclaims God’s Word; she worships in spirit and truth; and she engages in a life of generous love, especially for the poor and vulnerable. This is what Mary witnessed and learned in her parents’ home, lessons that resonated in her sinless heart and in God’s mysterious providence prepared Mary to become the ultimate model of the Church. As Pope Francis taught, “Mary is the model of the Church ‘in the order of faith, charity, and perfect union with Christ.’” (Wed. Aud. 23 X 2013) Mediating on this mystery, let us redouble our efforts to strengthen the domestic church, the family, in this Archdiocese – to make our homes places where young people are evangelized and catechized, led deeply into the church’s sacramental life, & where they learn to give of themselves in love to the vocation God calls them to.

And, as we seek to evangelize more vigorously in our pastorates and seek in God’s grace to create missionary disciples capable of encountering others and walking with them, leading them to Christ and to the Church – as we seek to engage this mission – let us hasten in prayer to Mary, for as the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, “What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on what she believes about Christ and what she teaches about Mary illumines in turn her faith in Christ” (op. cit.).

For Mary always leads us to Jesus. It was to this mission that her life was dedicated as she was presented in the Temple. From her parents, Mary learned to trust in God’s promise of salvation and to live in faithful expectation that those promises would be fulfilled. And so she mediated on God’s Word before she conceived him in her womb. Sinless from the moment of conception, Mary absorbed the Word as no other and lived in completely harmony with the saving will of the Father.

Mary, whose soul proclaimed the greatness of the Lord and whose spirit found joy in God her Savior, … now beckons us. By devotion to Mary, the Star of Evangelization, let us rediscover every day our vocation to evangelize. By mediating the mysteries of the Rosary, let us learn from Mary how to worship in spirit and truth. By following Mary’s example of love, let us learn to practice a charity that evangelizes. With Mary’s prayer and example to guide and strengthen us, we too will proclaim the greatness of the Lord and our spirits will find joy in God our Savior …and in the process we too will lead many to Jesus and the Church.

Let us conclude with the beautiful prayer of Fr. Jacques Olier, the founder of the Suplicians, a prayer written with today’s feast in mind:

“O Jesus, living in Mary, come and live in your servants. In the spirit of your holiness, in the fullness of your might, in the truth of your virtues, in the perfection of your ways, in the communion of your mysteries. Come and subdue every hostile power in your Spirit for the glory of the Father. Amen.”

Archbishop William E. Lori

Archbishop William E. Lori was installed as the 16th Archbishop of Baltimore May 16, 2012.

Prior to his appointment to Baltimore, Archbishop Lori served as Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Conn., from 2001 to 2012 and as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington from 1995 to 2001.

A native of Louisville, Ky., Archbishop Lori holds a bachelor's degree from the Seminary of St. Pius X in Erlanger, Ky., a master's degree from Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg and a doctorate in sacred theology from The Catholic University of America. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Washington in 1977.

In addition to his responsibilities in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Archbishop Lori serves as Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus and is the former chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty.

Recent Posts

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• Archbishop Lori’s Homily: Solemnity of the Assumption August 16, 2024
• Knights of Columbus 142nd Convention: Archbishop Lori’s Closing Remarks August 12, 2024
• Archbishop Lori’s Homily: Knights of Columbus Memorial Mass, Feast of St. Dominic August 12, 2024

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Homily - Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Commissioning of Principals

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Commissioning of Principals

By the Most Rev Timothy Costelloe SDB Archbishop of Perth

Holy Spirit Chapel, Leederville Friday, 21 November 2014

Download the full text in  PDF

There is something very appropriate, I think, about celebrating the commissioning of new principals for our Catholic schools throughout Western Australia on this day when, in the Church’s liturgy, we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

At its heart, this feast commemorates on the one hand the idea of dedication or consecration to the Lord, especially in relation of course to Mary, and, on the other hand, not in opposition but in complementarity, the idea that, as a consequence of her self-giving to the Lord, Mary became his dwelling-place. And why? So that, through her, the Lord might be given to us. The beautiful prayer, which sadly is not as well-known and frequently prayed as in the past, the Angelus, expresses this very well. In three moments, it captures first the realisation by Mary of what God was asking of her: The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary and she conceived by the Holy Spirit. In a second moment, the prayer captures Mary’s faith-filled response: Behold the handmaid of the Lord – be it done unto me according to your word. And, in a third moment, the prayer reveals what takes place because of Mary’s “yes”: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

These three movements, of realisation, of response and of fulfillment, are, it seems to me, the pattern of every human life and, therefore, the pattern of every Christian life. They are certainly, I believe, the pattern which plays itself out in the life of every person who dedicates him or herself to the work of Catholic education. The ways in which these movements unfold in our lives may not be as dramatic as they were in Mary’s life – I would be surprised if many of our new or continuing (or retiring) principals had an unexpected angelic visitation informing them that they should apply for a principal’s position – and the series of events and experiences which led you to make this decision may not even have been, in many cases, explicitly or consciously religious. Even so, I want to say very strongly tonight that it is God who has called you here, it is God who is asking you if you will commit yourselves to this great task of Catholic education as a work of the Church which is Christ’s body, and it is God in Christ who wishes to take flesh and become real in the lives of your staff, your students and the families of your school through your witness, your faith and your fidelity to Christ and His Church.

Put in these terms, the responsibility of being a principal in a Catholic school can appear even more daunting than you had perhaps realised. Like Mary in the story of the Annunciation, you might well feel overawed, unsure if you really have what it takes, a little frightened of what you are taking on. If so, it is good to remember that Mary was only finally able to give her own “yes” to God after she had been reassured, in the words of the angel, that “the Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High God will cover you with its shadow”. Remember that these words apply also to you. The Holy Spirit did come upon you at your baptism. You are equipped for the tasks ahead through the divine gifts and the ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit conferred on you at your confirmation. You are one with Christ, and this communion is deepened each time you celebrate the Eucharist and receive the Lord’s body and blood. And you are leaders in our Church, surrounded by and supported by the prayers of the whole community represented by those who have gathered here with you this evening. Everything is in place so that what was true of Mary might be true of you: that, through your “yes” to God, as through Mary’s, the Word might once again become flesh and dwell among us, especially in the lives of the young people and their families whom you, together with your staff, will serve in the name of Christ’s Church.

Perhaps all of this can be summed up in the words of Scripture which tonight are addressed directly to each one of you: Do not be afraid, I am with you. I have called you by your name. You are mine.

May the prayers of Mary, whose feast we celebrate today and who has been given to us by the Lord as our mother and helper, support you and guide you in all that lies ahead.

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

November 21

The feast of the Presentation of Mary is not based on a Biblical event, but rather an incident mentioned in the Infancy Narrative of James.

After Mary was born to Joachim and Anne, her parents dedicated her to the service of the Temple. And when she was 3 years old, she walked unaided up fifteen steps to where Zachary, the High priest, awaited her.

When Mary was presented to the High Priest, he took her into the sanctuary, which was called the "Holy of Holies", where he was allowed once a year. Mary studied and served in the temple until the age of 14.

Prayer for the Presentation of Mary

Heavenly Father, the Blessed Virgin Mary was dedicated to You by her parents when she was three. In the temple, she joined the girls who spent their days praying, reading Scripture, and serving the temple priests. Her holiness was very evident, and the high priest thought that You probably had great plans for her. I ask Mary to pray for the plans You have for my life. Where I have strayed onto a road of my own choosing, give me her hand to guide me back to where You want me. Where I need to wait for a new plan to begin, give me the grace remain patient and say, "Your will be done." Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for me. Amen.

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WEDNESDAY HOMILY: Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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Just as the Blessed Virgin Mary was prepared to give the gift of her life back to God in the temple by meditating on the Word of God and participation in the temple liturgy, we are prepared in a most excellent way to give our gifts back to God by the Word of God and by participation in the Sacred Liturgy of the Church, especially the Most Holy Eucharist, which is the source, summit, and center, of all the gifts that we have been given.

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Keywords: Presentation of Mary , Homily , Year of Faith ,

P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0px 0px 20px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia; COLOR: #323333"> HYTHE, KENT, UK (Catholic Online) - Today is the memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which, by an ancient custom, we celebrate the mystery that the Blessed Virgin Mary was marvelously prepared to receive the coming of Jesus Christ by being presented to God in the temple by her parents at a very young age to hasten the coming of the Messiah.    This feast happens every year immediately before Advent, an entire season when we focus on preparing the way for the Lord.  The last two weeks of the Church's year the readings and liturgy are all about the final coming of God to consummate the ages with God's final victory over evil and judgment over all mankind.  The readings for today reveal this. The first reading, taken from the book of Revelation, or the Apocalypse, speak about the vision of God in heaven, where all will prostrate themselves before the majesty and sovereignty of the Lord. Throughout the Church's year we do not look at Jesus as the Just Judge, the perfect and all-holy One.  We look at him rather as the Crucified One, the meek and persecuted Lord, who comes to us in gentleness and in peace, knocking quietly at the door of our hearts.  These last two weeks of the Church's year, however, we see his power, might, authority, and elevation over all, to remind us that the time will come when we will all have to render an account to the one who scrutinizes all our actions. The Gospel also speaks about the Second Coming of Christ.  It is a parable that shows that the master has gone away but will return and expect an accounting of the gifts that he has generously given.  We hear from the Lord Jesus those exacting words, " to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away."  This means that we cannot allow the gifts of God to sit on the shelf but must act and bring about a return for what has been given. If you hear these words with faith, the normal reaction is to have your knees knock a little bit, to have a little holy fear, and to ask the question, "What am I doing for God, and what gifts has he given me that he will expect a return?" No human person has been given more than the Blessed Virgin Mary.  She, unlike every other human person, was conceived without original sin. Great wisdom is given to us when we ponder how then she was prepared to give this gift back to God.  Just as the Blessed Virgin Mary was prepared to give the gift of her life back to God in the temple by meditating on the Word of God and participation in the temple liturgy, we are prepared in a most excellent way to give our gifts back to God by the Word of God and by participation in the Sacred Liturgy of the Church, especially the Most Holy Eucharist, which is the source, summit, and center, of all the gifts that we have been given.   The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us (1324), "The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch."  The Eucharist not only is the source and summit of all gifts, but THE greatest gift we can receive.  It is safe therefore to assume, that if you go to mass frequently and participate devoutly in the mystery, you have been richly endowed with the greatest gift possible on earth - receiving God himself. Make you tremble even more? Yep it is a bit scary knowing that your faith makes you more accountable, but be not afraid!  God would never give you this gift without helping you to make it fruitful.  The best way to give this gift back to God is through the prayers, intercession, and motherly mediation of the Immaculate Virgin Mary. Just as she was presented to God in the temple by her parents to prepare her for giving Christ to the world, so too, the Blessed Virgin Mary presents you in the Church to God to give the gift of your life back to him. May her prayers and intercession help us to respond generously to the call of the Lord that on that great and terrible day of reckoning we may be able to offer a good accounting of our gifts. Father Samuel Medley, SOLT, is a priest of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, and is currently based in Hythe, Kent, United Kingdom.  He is a speaks to groups around the world on Blessed Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body.  Visit his homily blog http://medleyminute.blogspot.com or his blog on sexual ethics http://loveandresponsibility.org  

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ST PAUL REPOSITORY

Dedicated to teaching the catholic faith, category archives: homilies for the blessed virgin mary, mary, mother of god-january 1st 2024.

Readings: Numbers 6: 22-27, Psalm 66, Galatians 4: 4-7, Luke 2: 16-2

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The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary-August 15th 2021

A catholic homily by Fr Robbie Low

All the choirs of angels are rejoicing

Readings: Apocalypse 11: 19, 12: 1-6, 12, Psalm 44, 1 Corinthians 15: 20-27, Luke 1: 39-56

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The Annunciation of the Lord-March 25th 2021

Are you ready for the shame?

Readings: Isaiah 7: 10-14, Psalm 39, Hebrews 10: 4-10, Luke 1: 26-38

The Assumption-August 15th 2019

A Catholic homily by Fr Robbie Low

A Life for Others

Readings:  Apocalypse 11: 19; 12: 1-6. 10, Psalm 44, 1 Corinthians 15: 20-27, Luke 1: 39-56

The Presentation of the Lord – The Law of God and the Presence of God

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https://stpaulrepository.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/the-presentation-in-the-temple-the-law-of-god-and-the-presence-of-god.mp3

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Created to be holy and spotless

https://stpaulrepository.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/the-immaculate-conception-created-to-be-holy-and-spotless-before-him-for-website.mp3

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Proclaiming the greatness of the Lord

https://stpaulrepository.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/the-assumption-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-proclaiming-the-greatness-of-the-lord.mp3

Mary, Mother of God – May the Lord uncover his face to you

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He Has Cast Down The Mighty From Their Thrones And Has Lifted Up The Lowly – Sermon by Father Levine

Fr. Joseph Levine; Holy Family Catholic Church and Missions, Burns, Oregon; August 15, 2024

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?” Well, in the first place turn away from the mirror of vanity, or better yet break it. And toss away the spectacles of envy.

Turn your gaze to heaven to contemplate her who is truly the most beautiful, the perfect glory of womanhood, clothed with the sun of divine glory, with the moon of corruptibility beneath her feet, surrounded as by a crown by her innumerable children, beginning with the twelve Apostles, the Blessed Virgin Mary, assumed into heaven body and soul, the Mother of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, and our Mother also in the order of grace.

Many times, Jesus insisted, Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted. (Mt 23:12; Lk 14:11) The Blessed Virgin Mary is the lowliest of God’s children, raised up to the greatest height, lifted up above the choirs of angels, “more honorable than the Cherubim, more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim.” (Hymn to the Theotokos)

The Almighty has done great things for me.

Her pure soul is a resplendent mirror of God’s greatness. In her and through her Son, God has made known the holiness of his name.

He has shown the strength of his arm and has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly.

When, at the beginning of time, God revealed to the angels what was to be his most perfect creation, the humble Virgin, the pride of Lucifer was provoked, he seethed with envy, and he was cast out, he was darkened, he became Satan, the adversary, drawing in his train a third of the angels. To this day he rages against her, but his rage is impotent.

He has filled the hungry with good things, the rich he has sent away empty. Because the Blessed Virgin was empty of herself, she was filled with God himself, and even became the Mother of God. While those who are filled with the paltry riches of their own pride are left empty like their Satanic master.

Though she was always free from the slightest stain of sin and even the inclination to sin, the Blessed Virgin Mary is the greatest recipient of God’s mercy, for through her Immaculate Conception, she was redeemed beforehand in the most excellent fashion. It was in anticipation of the merits of her Son’s redeeming death and in view of her predestined role as his Mother that she was preserved even from contracting original sin.

As the greatest recipient of God’s mercy she proclaims to us, He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. For our part we want to join the generations that call her blessed.

How blessed?

Consider that she has been lifted up above the Seraphim, the highest of God’s angels. Now all the angels and saints behold the face of God, but one beholds in that inexhaustible vision more mysteries than another. So, as star from star differs in glory (1 Cor 15:41) and the glory of the Virgin exceeds them all together, she beholds more of the mysteries of God than any creature.

Let envy disappear, let wonder and admiration arise. There is between God and the Virgin a world of intimate knowledge that will be forever unknown to the rest of creation. There she shall always be God’s most hidden treasure, in whom he takes delight.

From that dizzying height I want now to return from a moment to the earth, to a specific time and place, the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Church in a mighty wind and tongues of fire.

The Blessed Virgin was there. (cf. Acts 1:14) Yet, though during her earthly pilgrimage she grew in grace, we must not think of her role on the day of Pentecost as being just another recipient of the Holy Spirit. She is the Spouse of the Holy Spirit; she was filled with the Holy Spirit from her Immaculate Conception; she was always most perfectly responsive to his most delicate inspirations.

So what was her role on Pentecost? She is there revealed as the great intercessor. As at Cana it was through her intercession that Jesus changed the water of graceless life into the wine of divine grace, so it was in answer to her prayers that on Pentecost he poured out the Holy Spirit upon his Church and continues to do so. Thus, Mary is truly the “Mediatrix of all grace.”

Then for some years before she was taken up into heaven, the Blessed Virgin remained upon the earth. What was her role in the infant Church? She did not go out, like the Apostles, and proclaim the Gospel. Yet, she is known as the Queen of the Apostles.

She was rather a secret treasure, hidden in the heart of the Church. The Apostles set out as witnesses of Christ’s resurrection; she was hidden in the heart of the Church as the unique witness of Christ’s birth and infancy, which is the mystery of God’s hidden wisdom. As in heaven she is possessed with a knowledge and wisdom in excess of every creature, so on earth, in the heart of the Church, she was possessed with a knowledge and wisdom above that of the Apostles. In her final days upon earth, she is revealed as the Seat of Wisdom, the treasure-house of the Church, the memory of the Church, who had guarded and pondered everything that pertained to her divine Son (cf. Lk 2:19, 51), the witness of the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God . (Rm 11:33) To her the Apostles had recourse; they sought to draw from her treasure-house of wisdom.

To her we must have recourse, to our Mother, in all the necessities of life, that we might live always according to the wisdom of the children of God. “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.”

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Lay Cistercians of South Florida , is a community of lay people who seeks to have a deeper connection with God by living a life inspired by the monks and nuns through Lay Monasticism . Learn more about what is a Lay Cistercian  on our website. Anyone who aspires to do the same as us, and is a confirmed Catholic is welcome to join us! We meet every second Saturday of the month at Emmanuel Catholic Church in Delray Beach, Florida.

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“Assumed Into Heaven” | Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Fr. Mike’s Homily)

Body and soul in Heaven.

The fact of the Assumption is the greatest reminder that all those who have died in Christ are meant to rise with Christ. All of us will get our bodies back and we will rise on the Last Day; some to the Resurrection of Glory and others to the Resurrection of Shame.

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How death became impossible for the Virgin Mary

A Homily for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Readings: Vigil: 1 Chronicles 15:3-4, 15-16; 16:1-2 1 Corinthians 15:54b-57 Luke 11:27-28 Mass during the day: Revelation 11:19A;12: 1-6A, 10AB 1 Corinthians 15:20-27 LK 1:39-56

One reads the prize-winning author Rachel Cusk for perspectives rather than plots. Her recent novels do not even flesh out her characters. It is as if she were telling parables; too much detail would detract from the insights being offered.

Indeed, all that you need to know about this single paragraph from her newest novel Parade (2024) is that a woman is dying at home in hospice care.

Many of the objects around our mother’s deathbed had existed for as long as we could remember. When we first entered her room we saw and recognized them more clearly than we recognized her. These objects contained our mother. They were more reliable and lasting than she was. It seemed impossible that she would die because she had never told the truth, but the objects told a different kind of truth. Their actual existence and their existence in memory were the same. She had imagined she was stronger than them, that she owned them, but in this element of consistency lay their victory over her. It was they that would commemorate her.

The power of this paragraph lies in its universality. Who among us who have seen a loved one near death have not been startled by a face we no longer recognize? We are more familiar with the objects that have always surrounded the dying one. Those we still understand.

“Those objects contained our mother.” Is that because they speak of the life she has lived or because they essentially were the life that she has lived? It is a horrifying thought, but so often true, that some people live their lives through the objects they collect. “She had imagined she was stronger than them, that she owned them, but in this element of consistency lay their victory over her. It was they that would commemorate her.”

Turn now to another parable-like scene. Imagine the early disciples entering the home of the Virgin Mary after her death. And we can speak of her “death” if all that we mean by the term is her departure from the world. Today’s feast insists that this is the only commonality between her death and ours. In both cases, life on earth ends.

The disciples enter the home. She is not there. She is gone, and there is no corpse. Here our parable-like story rests on rather solid evidence, as solid as that of history comes. Had there been a body, would it not immediately have become a focus of cult and devotion, like those of the first martyrs?

The disciples look around the room, but anyone could have lived and died here. There is nothing that speaks to the identity of this woman: a bed, table and chair, a bowl and pitcher, some unremarkable garments. She is not there, and what is left says nothing about who has been there.

This is how the early church came to the conviction that the Blessed Mother had been assumed body and soul into heaven or, as the Eastern churches like to say, that she had fallen asleep in Christ.

Even when she was alive, you could look at her and see nothing but her Son. His identity had become hers because everything of earth that was part of him had come through her. And her identity had become his because nothing stood in the way of her acceptance of the salvation he brought to earth.

We are left with a brute fact and the loftiest of conclusions. There was no body of the Virgin to venerate. So, the church recognized that he who had given birth to a new, glorified life had fully bestowed this same life upon the one who had given birth to him.

Christ did not come to offer partial life to anyone. Only sin limits the life he offers. Preserved by his grace from all sin, the only death she could know is the one she had already embraced with him on the cross.

It is an odd line from Cusk, a terrible accusation. “It seemed impossible that she would die because she had never told the truth…” Today the church tells us, “It seemed impossible that she would die because she had never lived anything but the truth.”

The Rev. Terrance W. Klein is a priest of the Diocese of Dodge City and author of Vanity Faith.

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SOLEMNITY OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

POPE FRANCIS

Saint Peter's Square Thursday, 15 August 2024

[ Multimedia ]

________________________________________

Dear brothers and sisters, buongiorno !

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the Gospel of the liturgy we contemplate the young girl of Nazareth who, having just received the Angel’s announcement, sets out to visit her cousin.

This expression in the Gospel is beautiful: “Mary set out and went” ( Lk 1:39). It means that Mary does not consider the news she received from the Angel a privilege but, on the contrary, she leaves home and sets out with the haste of someone who wishes to announce that joy to others and with the eagerness to be of service to her cousin. In reality, this first journey is a metaphor for her whole life, because from that moment on, Mary will always be on the move following Jesus as a disciple of the Kingdom. And, in the end, her earthly pilgrimage concludes with her Assumption into Heaven where, together with her Son, she enjoys the joy of eternal life forever.

Brothers and sisters, we must not imagine Mary “as a motionless wax statue,” but in her we can see a “sister... with worn-out sandals... and with so much weariness” (C. Carretto, Beata te che hai creduto , Rome 1983, p. 13), for having followed the Lord and meeting brothers and sisters, concluding her journey in the glory of Heaven. In this way, the Blessed Virgin is She who goes before us on the journey, reminding us all that our life is also a continuous journey towards the horizon of the definitive encounter. Let us pray to Our Lady to help us on this journey towards the encounter with the Lord.

____________________

After praying the Angelus the Holy Father continued:

Dear brothers and sisters,

To Mary Queen of Peace, whom we contemplate today in the glory of Paradise, I would like once again to entrust the anxiety and sorrow of people in so many parts of the world who suffer from social tensions and wars. I am thinking in particular of martyred Ukraine, the Middle East, Palestine, Israel, Sudan and Myanmar. May our heavenly Mother obtain for all consolation and a future of serenity and harmony!

I continue to follow with concern the very serious humanitarian situation in Gaza, and I call once again for a ceasefire on all fronts, for the release of hostages, and for aid to the exhausted population. I encourage everyone to make every effort to ensure that the conflict does not escalate and to pursue paths of negotiation so that this tragedy ends soon! Let us not forget: war is a defeat.

My thoughts now turn to Greece, which in recent days has been battling a devastating fire that broke out north-east of Athens. Tens of thousands have already been evacuated, many families have been left homeless, thousands of people are facing terrible hardship and, in addition to the immense material damage, an environmental disaster is being created. I pray for the victims and the injured, I assure my closeness to all those who are suffering from this serious situation, trusting that they can be helped with common solidarity.

And I greet all of you, Romans and pilgrims from different countries, in particular, the AGESCI Scouts of Cornedo Vicentino, and the young people of the Immacolata. I thank you for your presence. I wish you a happy feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. And, please, my brothers and sisters, do not forget to pray for me. Have a good lunch and arrivederci!

Copyright © Dicastero per la Comunicazione - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2024 Fr. Steve Mateja's Podcasts

• Christianity

The Assumption is for you!  Pope Pious XII quotes: In their homilies and sermons on this feast the holy fathers and great doctors spoke of the assumption of the Mother of God as something already familiar and accepted by the faithful. They gave it greater clarity in their preaching and used more profound arguments in setting out its nature and meaning. Above all, they brought out more clearly the fact that what is commemorated in this feast is not simply the total absence of corruption from the dead body of the Blessed Virgin Mary but also her triumph over death and her glorification in heaven, after the pattern set by her only Son, Jesus Christ. Hence, the august Mother of God, mysteriously united from all eternity with Jesus Christ in one and the same decree of predestination, immaculate in her conception, a virgin inviolate in her divine motherhood, the wholehearted companion of the divine Redeemer who won complete victory over sin and its consequences, gained at last the supreme crown of her privileges—to be preserved immune from the corruption of the tomb, and, like her Son, when death had been conquered, to be carried up body and soul to the exalted glory of heaven, there to sit in splendor at the right hand of her Son, the immortal King of the ages.

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